A group of Native American rugby players is looking to field a rugby team to face a team of indigenous Australian Aboriginal players touring the USA.

Timaris Montano, who coaches a high school team in Gallup, NM, is using rugby to reach Native American kids. She has been asked by the touring Australian Aboriginals team to create a US Native American team, but, as you can imagine, funds are scarce.

To see more go here: https://www.gofundme.com/en4d7gcq

Darrell Morris is bringing his Indigenous Australian team to play teams in the Western USA.

“I started this program after seeing that after these guys turn 18 there is no development program for indigenous rugby,” said Morris. “Being that 18-20 is a big age for players to drop out as they leave school to work full time or study, I though the idea of a trip overseas at the end of the year as a way to entice the guys to stay in the sport for good. As a result, a few players who would not have played again are now staying in the sport which is also good for their overall well-being and health.”

The tour is as much a rugby trip as it is an educational and cultural trip. The players get grants to make the trip and the experience helps them make the transition to adulthood.

This is not a rep team its an invitational team with some very good players in the squad who have played at state level and some considered for pro contracts in Rugby Union and Rugby League in Australia. Conyers actually lost one player as he signed with with South Sydney Rabbitohs. 

The Indigenous Australian team is set to play University of New Mexico, Arizona State, San Diego State, Long Beach State, and Belmont Shore men’s club, as well as the All-Native American team this month.

For Native Americans, the camaraderie and honor of rugby seems to find a good fit. Players exposed to the game in Oklahoma and other areas of the Southwest have found a kinship with the native peoples of Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands as a result. And Native kids who do play, love it.